The human body requires nearly two-thirds of all the elements currently identified by science to maintain proper health. Balancing these minerals is a vital yet complex task. The skin is responsible for maintaining body temperature and excreting waste. The appearance of the skin is a diagnostic tool used by medical professionals and patients alike because it is an indicator of how effectively the body is ridding itself of waste and impurities.
If the body does not receive enough minerals, the skin will be affected. Minerals are components of the bones, teeth, soft tissue, muscle, blood and nerve cells—all vital to overall mental and physical well-being. Dry skin may indicate a mineral deficiency, prohibiting cells from properly retaining moisture.
The skin's mineral balance can be attributed to both minerals ingested and those applied to the skin's surface. For thousands of years, man has utilized the natural resources of minerals from hot springs and mineral baths to increase the mineral content of the skin. Mineral baths work on the principle of drawing toxins from the body while restoring the body's natural mineral balance. From springs across North America to the Dead Sea, bathing in such springs has been used to infuse the skin with nutrients. Topically applied nutrients can also act locally on the surface of the skin to enhance tissue repair and wound handling.
Some mineral waters may have beneficial effects on the skin, e.g., softening, hydrating and healing effects. These various effects are a result of the minerals found in the water, acting singly or in combination. Not all mineral waters have such beneficial effects and of those that do, the nature and strength of the effects will vary depending upon the particular mineral composition.
Mineral water compositions can have stability problems resulting from the interaction of the various mineral species with atmospheric oxygen, other atmospheric gases or with other materials present in the mineral water composition. Such stability problems can cause the formation of precipitates, the generation of off-colored species, the generation of odorous species and chemical reactions, which can change the composition of the mineral water.